Game.



L. GOLDMERSTEIN.

GAME.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-24. I916.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

nnr amen.

GAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

I Application filed January 24, 1916. Serial No. 73,995.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, LEON Gonmrnas rniiv, a subject of the Czar of Russia, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have 1nvented certain new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the following'is a specification. e

This invention relates to an improvement in the game of skill known as checkers, my improvement consisting in the addition to said game of an element of chance, for the purpose of rendering the game more generally attractive and entertammg. I

Checkers, as now played between two players of equal ability, will nearly always be won by the player having an initial advantage, because there are few opportunit es for finesse, so that with both players avoiding errors, the game is practically assured to one player from the start, and has a generally uninteresting course.

The element of chance introduced by my improvement in the game of checkers con sists (a) in the provision of certain designatio-ns on one side of the pieces, to be exposed when the ordinary pieces, by reason of their reaching the final row of squares on the opponents side of the board, are to be accorded the functions of king pieces, instead of in the usual crowning method of imposing another ordinary piece upon said advanced piece; and (b), in having the king piece designations referred to, representative, in each players quota of pieces, of equal numbers of king pieces for each side. In other words, recognizing the'game as comprising twelve white pieces and twelve black pieces, said pieces, on their obverse side, are respectively white and black; while, on their reverse side the, so called, white pieces are divided into two sets of six pieces each, the pieces of one set bearing each an indication to represent a white king. The twelve black pieces bear upon their reverse sides similar indications to also divide them into six black I kings and six white kings. By these means each player is equipped, at the start of the game, with equal friendly and inimical king making potentiality; because, as the pieces are set for the game, the white side is seen to have all white ordinary pieces, and the black side all black ordinary pieces. Further, the pieces will have been shuffled before setting, to leave both players in ignorance as to the positions of the opposite king making powers, which are indicated only upon the then hidden reverse sides of the pieces. Thus, in turning over a piece, to create for it the king value, upon reaching a square in the final row, the factor of chance rules in determining whether said king will belong to the white side or the black side; and hence a new element is introduced into the game of checkers, to render its outcome more uncertain and more entertaining.

In the drawing: Figure 1 shows a checker boardupon which'a game is in progress, the remaining pieces including some that have been moved to the final row of squares from opposite sides, and there reversed to become kings. Fig. 2 .is a perspective view of a white checker piece, obverse side uppermost, showing that the cylindrical surface of the piece bears the same color as its obverse side, and Fig. 3 is a similar view of the same piece, reversed, but bearing an arbitrary indication of white king value.

The checker pieces a and 5, represent the white and black monly used in this game. are white over one side, called the obverse, and over the side walls, so that when said pieces are resting upon the board, with the obverse exposed, the reverse side is hidden from view. Said reverse side, on six of the white pieces, is marked in a particular manner, as at 0, (Fig. 3) to represent white king value; and said reverse side, on the remaining six white pieces, is marked, as at d, to represent black king value.

The black pieces correspond with the white pieces in that one side thereof (the obverse) and the walls, are black, and the reverse side, as to six of those pieces, is marked to indicate black king value; the remaining six black pieces having their reverse side marked to indicate white king value. Of course, the representative markings on the reverse side of the pieces, both white and black, to indicate king value therefor, may be of any desirable character. As an example of the arbitrary markings that may be employed, I have shown in the drawing the white king value as represented by a white center surrounded by a black margin; and the black king value as represented by a black center surrounded by a white margin.

Obviously my said improvements may be employed with pieces used in other games, analogous to checkers, using reversible play pieces, and my invention is therefore not respectively, pieces com- The white pieces limited to use in the game of checkers. Also, when my improved play pieces are employed in the usual game of checkers, the number thereof, for each side, having opposing king value designations, may range from one upwardly, according to the fancy of the game designer. In this manner the element of chance introduced by my invention in the game of checkers, is variable Within Wide limits. Conceivably, a player may be handicapped by the set of pieces including a smaller number thereof with king value for his side than for his opponents side. Other variations may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim i V 1. A. set of piecesfor the game of checkers, in which each piece is provided, at one side thereof, with indications of king value, half the number of said pieces representing white kings by said indications, and the other half black kings.

2; A set of reversible play pieces for the game of checkers, wherein each piece has indications representing different play values upon its opposite sides, the indications on one side of some of said pieces representing white king value, and on the others black king value. p

3. A set' of reversible play pieces for the game of checkers, wherein each piece has on one side a representation of ordinary checker value, and on the othersidea representation of king value, the white pieces including some with white king value and some with black king value, and theblack pieces including some with black king value and some with white kingvalu'e.

Signed at the borough of Manhattan in the city, county and State of New York this 21st day of January, A. 1916.

LEON GOLDMEBSTEIN.

VVitnesses:

W. E. FEE, F. W. BARKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, WashingtomD' 0'. 7 

